A bit of dilemma

[SankysVR6 1]

If you have read some of my recent post I was complaining about having blue smoke on the over run. It's not happening all the time but it's doing it enough to wind me up, and I find it quite embarrassing when you floor it a puff smoke is left behind.

So I've had some quotes but not exactly sure which route to take. Bearing in mind that car has full dealer service history, and also they have done the chains and clutch as well.

Here are some of the quotes.

Garage 1

£150-£200 to recondition the head with valve stem seals

£100 for new tappets

£250 for labour

Total £550

Garage 2

£700-£800 to recondition the head, new tappets and labour

Dealers

£168.00 + vat Tappets

£31.68 + vat Stem seals

£162.00 + vat Labour

Total £424.00

So I'm looking to see what some of you guys would do with a situation like this.

Killokilla if you can do this kind of work can you please PM me a quote as well.

[mannie 0]

If I have to spend,I would take it to the stealers,they would/should used OEM parts .

[xyber 1]

Ive never liked main dealers, I know a few lads who work in main dealers workshops and I wouldnt trust them with a go-kart, plus alot of them work on a daily work schedule/bonus scheme so things can get 'overlooked' to get the job knocked out and the next one in.

Think id look for an independant specialist as they have alot more pride in what they do alot of the time and need a spot on reputation. I wish Stealth was closer to me as Id always take my car to them if it was

[Phat VR6 3]

Hows the main dearler ended up the cheepest??

[SankysVR6 1]

Hows the main dearler ended up the cheepest??

One of the reason they cheaper is they're not taking the head off to do the seals, they'll be using compressed air to lift the valves up or something. And also i know the manager so i get a quite a good rate.

[jws vr6 0]

What makes garage 2 so much more expensive?? are they doing the valve guides aswell? If so i'd go for them as its a more complete job on the head.

And i dont think garage 1 will be taking the head off either, tou can do the stem seals without taking it off

[thegoth 5]

Hows the main dearler ended up the cheepest??

One of the reason they cheaper is they're not taking the head off to do the seals' date=' they'll be using compressed air to lift the valves up or something. And also i know the manager so i get a quite a good rate.

[/quote']

f you know the manager and trust him to ensure a good job is done...go for the dealer. To keep up the full dealer work history if nothing else.

[SankysVR6 1]

Do you guys think it would be a problem later on if the seals were only done with the haed in situ.

The dealers can't recondition the head themselves, they have to send it off to an engineering firm to have it done.

Im just not sure what to do with it, as i do trust the dealers as all the work would be guranteed. And i know places like Stealth would give a gurantee aswell but it just ends to far to take it there again if it did end up with another problem.

And at least with dealers you can just slap you keys down and refuse to take the car back and kick up a bit of fuss with them to make sure it's right.

[Buzzark 0]

I can't see why you'd need to have the head reconditioned at all, it just sounds like a valve stem oil seal problem.

Is there some other reason to suspect the head would need reconditioning e.g. the valve stems themselves are worn and the valves need replacing?

[xyber 1]

there was a brand new schrick big valve head on german ebay the other day for about £500, just incase you interested

[SankysVR6 1]

Xyber, can you PM me a link to that please